Peterborough v MK Dons preview

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Danny Kearns is a slight injury doubt for the Posh as they prepare to host the Dons.

Kearns is nursing a knock but the midfielder is likely to be fit, meaning Peterborough will be at full strength as Tommy Rowe returned from an ankle injury against Bristol City last weekend and Joe Newell no longer has a broken hand.

After a 3-0 win at Ashton Gate, manager Darren Ferguson must decide whether to stick with the same starting XI or make one or two changes with the likes of Gabriel Zakuani and Grant McCann waiting in the wings for a recall.

Saturday sees the first meeting between Peterborough and MK Dons since May 2011 when Posh edged a thrilling League One play-off semi-final 4-3 on aggregate.

Dean Bowditch and Daniel Powell could come back into the reckoning for the Dons as they prepare to renew rivalries with Peterborough.

Bowditch and Powell have returned to training following groin and ankle injuries respectively. Both players are listed as doubts for the trip to London Road but manager Karl Robinson has hinted that, if all goes well, they could feature on the bench.

Once those two return, the Dons will have a fully fit and available squad.

Saturday sees the first meeting between Peterborough and MK Dons since May 2011 when Posh edged a thrilling League One play-off semi-final 4-3 on aggregate. A defeat, the manner of which, Robinson this week admitted still angers him.

Peterborough v MK Dons preview

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Posh goalkeeper Joe Lewis will miss the rest of the season after fracturing his kneecap in the 3-2 defeat to the Dons on Sunday.

Paul Jones will come in to play in goal whilst Charlie Lee is suspended having been sent off in the first leg.

Manager Darren Ferguson is hopeful that Grant Basey will have recovered from an ankle injury in time to fill in at left-back for Lee.

He said: “Grant’s fine, he’s trained for over a week, he was a couple of sessions short for Sunday.

“We’ve got him to choose or Tommy Rowe could play there, I have got options, it’s been a position that’s been a problem most of the season.”

Gabby Zakuani is also expected to recover from a shoulder injury to face the Dons for a place in the play-off final.

MK Dons will have midfielder Stephen Gleeson available for the return leg of their play-off semi-final at Peterborough after the Football Association rescinded the red card he received in the Dons’ 3-2 win on Sunday.

Manager Karl Robinson welcomed the FA’s decision. He said: “It’s great news. We all felt the FA would make the correct decision and I am glad that it has gone through the right avenues.

“People can make mistakes in every walk of life and a mistake has been made, but it has been rectified which is great.

“Stephen has been in fantastic form all season and he deserves his chance to get this club into the final.”

Midfielder Peter Leven will again miss out for the visitors due to a broken foot, with Adam Clayton again set to deputise.

Luke Chadwick’s arm injury is not as bad as first feared so he should feature in what is expected to be an unchanged starting 11.

Peterborough v MK Dons preview

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Peterborough boss Gary Johnson will hand a debut to new loan signing Matt Gill against MK Dons.

Gill, who started his career at London Road and made 167 appearances in seven years, will go straight into the starting line-up for his second Posh debut after being brought in from Norwich as a replacement for James Wesolowski, who is suffering from knee ligament damage.

Jay Davies is pushing for his full debut following his first appearance for Posh as a substitute against Swansea while Dave Hibbert and Lee Tomlin could also start after impressing as substitutes recently.

The game may come too soon for Grant McCann, who missed the midweek defeat against Swansea, while Ryan Bennett, Mark Little and Lee Frecklington all remain sidelined with knee injuries.

Summer signing Gary Mackenzie could be in line for his first start for MK Dons when they travel to London Road.

The 24-year-old centre-half made his debut in the Carling Cup against Birmingham as a half-time substitute and could replace Sean O’Hanlon from the start.

Sam Baldock may return to the squad following a knock while Jabo Ibehre and Aaron Wilbraham will be fighting it out to replace Angelo Balanta, who had to be replaced 29 minutes into the midweek defeat against the Blues.

Ibehre came on for Balanta at the time but Wilbraham’s impressive performance was rounded off with a consolation goal and that may push him up the pecking order.

Manager Karl Robinson’s only other injury concern is Stephen Gleeson, who is likely to miss out yet again with a muscle injury.